Oakland-based CorpWatch lists BP as the world’s second largest oil company. It is No. 4 on the Fortune 500 with 2005 revenues of $267 billion and $22 billion in profit. CorpWatch also ranks BP as the world’s third largest polluter. Their dossier on the company includes a litany of social and environmental abuses from Alaska to Colombia in the form of toxic waste and dumping, emissions, and violent repression of any attempts to organize labor or save ecosystems.

US PIRG reports that in just one year, between January 1997 and March 1998, BP was responsible for 104 oil spills in the Arctic. They are now thought to be responsible for three percent of worldwide greenhouse emissions, more than the emissions of Central America, Canada or Britain. BP lobbied Washington to explore in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, and will spend $5 billion over the next five years doing so. Their opening salvo was last spring’s March 2 Prudhoe Bay debacle, when a leak in the Trans-Alaska pipeline dumped more than 6,000 barrels of crude onto the ground.Conscious Choice: "Stealing Green"

BP likes to brag about its green leanings - boasting about its efforts to move "beyond petroleum" and to provide clean, sustainable energy choices to its customers. As these golden ads shine forth from televisions, glowing with benevolence, many Americans may believe the hype - after all, BP does lead the industry in exploring energy alternatives. This fact says less to me about the consciousness of BP, and more about the corruption of the industry. BP's history alone sets them on my list of companies to avoid, but it is a newer offense that has Chicagoans taking notice.

You see, BP has a plan to increase its pollution into Lake Michigan at its Whiting, Indiana refinery, just 3 miles from the city. Under the new permit, already approved by the state of Indiana, BP could dump 1,584 pounds of ammonia and 4,925 pounds of solid waste into Lake Michigan every day.

I have been working with Environment Illinois to spread the word about this plan and to encourage folks to boycott BP. Beyond Today is another local group that is very active in support of this cause. They have posted some footage from some of last Saturday's protests on YouTube (see below):

Please do your own research about BP so that you can make informed choices before giving them your dollars and if you do support the boycott as I do - please spread the word.

I hear you Ryan! I don't own a car, but were I buying gas, I think I would choose Citgo. While they are not perfect and have been found guilty of criminal charges under the Clean Air Act in TX - I like that they are disconnected from the Middle East and seem to be trying to resist more obscene price gouging.